Sept. 10, 2009
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IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa women’s rowing team is welcoming five new members to its staff for the upcoming 2009 season. Head Coach Mandi Kowal made the announcement today.
“I am excited about the strength of our new coaching staff, and the wide variety of experiences they will bring to the team,” Kowal said. “In addition, each individual has a proven work ethic that is second to none. All of the qualities, coupled with a strong desire to coach at Iowa and getting to the next level, will without a doubt keep the momentum going in the right direction.”
Scott Ramsey will serve as assistant coach in charge of novice squad and recruiting coordinator. He was most recently the assistant men’s and women’s heavyweight coach at Columbia University in New York, NY. While coaching at Columbia he designed and implemented strength training programs for both men’s heavyweight and women’s teams. He also coached men’s heavyweight 2nd varsity eight throughout the 2009 spring season. His men won their first victory in 10 years at the Maxwell Stevenson Cup vs. Navy and their first ever progression in IRA Petite Final for a Columbia 2V.
Ramsey was the head coach at The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, PA from 2005 – 2007. He led the transition of a scholastic girl’s crew program from a scull/sweep small boats program to a national competitive sweeping program. He additionally coached varsity eight to its first Inter-Ac League Championship in the school’s history in 2007. Before coaching at The Agnes Irwin School, he was assistant coach at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA.
Ramsey received a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Societies degree from the University of Pennsylvania in May, 2004. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as an USRowing Level III certified coach.
Nicole Lustig will be a graduate assistant for the Hawkeyes. She most recently served as Gonzaga’s women’s rowing volunteer assistant coach from 2005 to 2008. She was a member of the Gonzaga University rowing team from 2000-2002. She earned team captain honors in 2002, and won the WCC &WIRA in 2002. Throughout her rowing career she was an NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee, US Rowing Honor Roll, Gonzaga’s Bulldog Club Athlete of the Year and Gonzaga University Scholar Athlete of the Year. Lustig received a Bachelor of Education from Gonzaga University and was Special Educations Magna Cum Laude in 2008. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, she earned her Masters of Education from Gonzaga University in 2009, where she once again earned the Special Education Magna Cum Laude.
Drew Cowens, who will serve as a volunteer assistant, previously served as the freshman coach and operations coordinator for men’s rowing at UCLA. While at UCLA, he coordinated schedules and training plans, and maintained equipment. As an operations coordinator, Cowens created alumni mailings and followed up on all aspects of fundraising campaigns. From 2006 to 2007, Cowens was the varsity lightweight boys’ coach at Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center. He received a Level II Coaching Certification at the US Rowing Conference in Portland, OR, in 2006.
Cowens studied American Literature and Culture at UCLA from 2001-2005. He received his Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Washington in 2008 and is currently working towards a Masters in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership from the University of Washington.
Emily Lewis was volunteer assistant coach for the varsity program at the University of Iowa from August 2008 to May 2009, and she will continue to assist in the upcoming season. She also acted as a recruited coxswain for 4 years at the University of Iowa. Lewis received the P. Sue Beckwith Scholarship and the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholar Athlete award in May 2007. She was also an NCAA Scholar Athlete from 2005 to 2007 and academic all-Big Ten from 2003 to 2007. Lewis earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in International Studies with an emphasis in Human Rights and a minor in Political Science. Currently, she is working on receiving her Masters in International Studies with a focus in human trafficking and exploitation at the University of Iowa.
Emily Wagstrom has helped assist with the women’s rowing program at Iowa since 2005. She coached rowers on the varsity squad as a volunteer assistant coach from 2007 to 2008. From 2006 to 2007, she was the graduate assistant coach, where she coached rowers on the varsity and novice squads, assisted in recruitment of student-athletes on campus and completed various management tasks. She also coached rowers on the varsity and novice squads, coordinated recruitment of prospective student-athletes and assisted in all aspects of management and coaching as assistant coach/ recruiting coordinator.
Wagstrom was named a National Scholar Athlete, awarded to student athletes who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and competed in the NCAA eligible boat, in 2005. She also earned a spot on the President’s List, awarded for two consecutive semesters of a 4.0 GPA, at the Iowa. From 2003 to 2005, she was Academic all-Big Ten. Wagstrom received her Bachelor’s of Science’s in Exercise Science, with distinction from the University of Iowa in 2005 and is currently going for her Masters in Research Distinction Track at Iowa.